LOT Plane Struck by Lightning, Forced to Return to Warsaw
A LOT flight departing Warsaw Chopin Airport for Istanbul was struck by lightning shortly after takeoff on Tuesday after 13:00. The crew decided to turn the aircraft back to Chopin for precautionary checks.
Storm strike and return
The plane encountered a storm front soon after liftoff and was hit by lightning. Crew burned off fuel while circling with the landing gear down for several dozen minutes. The aircraft then landed safely back in Warsaw.
Keywords
Reports online used phrases such as LOT Plane Struck by Lightning and Forced to Return to Warsaw to describe the event. Authorities treated the incident as a routine safety matter.
Passengers and onward travel
No injuries were reported among passengers or crew. Airline staff rebooked everyone onto another aircraft. The flight subsequently continued to Istanbul.
Airline statement and inspection
Krzysztof Moczulski, a PLL LOT spokesman, spoke to Filmogaz.com about the incident. He said there was no immediate sign of serious damage to the airframe.
Moczulski noted that lightning strikes on aircraft are common, especially in spring. He added that inspectors must check the fuselage for any burn marks. Such inspections typically last two to three hours. The airline expects the plane to return to service within a day at the latest.
Incident timeline
- Tuesday, shortly after 13:00 – takeoff from Warsaw Chopin.
- Moments later – encounter with a storm front and lightning strike.
- Circling to burn fuel with gear extended for several dozen minutes.
- Return and safe landing at Warsaw for inspection.
- Passengers transferred to another aircraft and continued to Istanbul.
